barrett



W. F. BARRETT.

PIN SETTING MECHANISM.

MPLHIATION FILED FEB. 20. 1919.

lutvntod Nov. 4, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- W. F. BARRETT.

PIN SEWING MECHANISM.

APPLHIATIUN FILED FEB-20.19!!! Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

W. F. BARRETT.

PIN SETTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.20.19I9.

Iutentvd Nov. 4, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

I mar toz a ttoznup UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

To whom itmy concern:

itknown that I, Wnnnur F. Bnnu u'r, a, c tizen of the United States, resi at Bradford, in the county of Essex and to oji Massachusetts, have invented a new and useiful Pin-Setting Mechanism, of which the 08 f9 ,wing is a specification.

f l isinvention relates to a paratus for u v n sett' ins such as use on bowling 10 ysandw itnis especially adapted for n setting epins it can, w1tso mod fications iii design, be also ting ordinary duck PLUS and ten pins. of the oh'ects of the-invention isto. ,pizoyide nsane w ereby the ins automatically to a setting 1: after which are arranged mechan cally so Minion there 'on of certain parts oi theapparaw, 1? pins wilLbe elevated toipbsiti'on at theses ive fspots. onthe alley.

1M 7 object is to provide means for separating-the balls the pins and elevatingthfl :t'olthe return which can be oi the usual const'zuction. usnatotherv object isrto provide where-' bylthe setting of the pins can be controlled o! i .fspotf onfsp'ote when desired i still ob'ect is to provide siinple and efiicientimeans or. collecting the pins or w ed; and the w the alley am. andigufliers and intothe separate I n of the apparatus- I: Wi the 'ng andother objects in YieWi whicht;

the invention consistsof certain my; described/and ointed; {out-1 in; the blaims, a 'bemg' ch may benuidein thb im o from the s irit or sacrificin'g any of theadvantagesof t he invention as set forth in the appended -In'the aocom an' drawings the reilii ferred form. 0 the invention has Keen shown.

In said drawings 4 re 1 is a plan view of the rear portion p "of an-alle having the present improvements 2:1 applied ereto.

'y igf) is a section on line 2-2, Fig. 1. *Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3, Fig. 2. "Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section on line 55, Fig. 4.

Specification of Letters Patent a liafionlmeeremar 20,1919. mm in. 210,112.

the in idin therein andanyselectedpin or pins can be pp aras the description P s. novel details of construct ogand combmations ofparts which will be berninaftermore and arrt of. the parts-without dey the hop mam n. mm, or nnmronco, msacnoemrs.

" rut-ammo 1 Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

6 is a vertical section through one of tubes, two 'tions of a pin own by f -and dotted lines,

lpectively. ig. 7 is a section on line 7-7, Fig. 6.

8 is a section on.line8 -8, Fig. 2.

Re ,erring to the figures by characters of reference,'1'designaies the ale ,whiohcan be of the usual construction an provided at the sides with gutters 2, at the rear end with a padding-FEB and also provided with an inclined return 4 exten along the side and back end of the alley. ted at the sides of the alley close to the pit 3 are shes-vest and additional sheaves are located atthe sides of the alley at oints removed from. the pit. .Extending under thesesheaves are endless bolts 6 which also pass over r guide sheaves 7 suitably supported. j The belts are connected by a cross strip Band the parts are so arranged and proportioned that, when the belts are actu-' ate in one direction, the strip 8 will be moved downwardly toward and thence along the alle until it-eomes close 420 thepit 3.

This w license any pins or balls on the alley tobe swept back into the it. p The belts can be operated by-an'y desi mechanism 'For' example two'of the sheaves 5, one at each side oi the alley, can be provided with additional sheaves!) revoluble therewith and driven-by be1ts 10.1 Thesebelts are driven by pulleysll on; a transverse shaft 12 adaplpv e ed tobe'driven by a motor 13. Any suite clutch'inechanism can-be provided for coni the: pulleys "1'1 tothe shaft when de have been shown generally at 14 the operating mechanism therefor canbe of any construction desired. It'has not 'been deemed necessary toshow orde scribe it in detail.

The bottom of the pit 3 consists of a hopper15-havinfilan outlet at one side as shown at 16 and w 'ch outlet is the form of a slot extending from front .to rear endqust large e'nou therethrou' The bottom and walls one inclined so that when pins are directed into r they will vitate toward the outlet 0t and drop t erethrough one at a to allow a single pin to fall I time,,and while lying in substantiallyhorizontal itions. The rear wall of the ho per is inclined downwardly and forwar and is provided, at the rear end of the slot 16, with a round ball outlet '17 o into the upper end of an inclined troug 18,

This trough extends rearwardly and is cut away at the lower or rear end of the bottom thereof to permit the upward movement of a series of buckets 19 extending from an endless elevator 20. Said elevator is mounted on upper and lower sprockets 21 and 22 and works within a slot 23 formed in the rear portion of the ball return, as shown in Fig. 1. The upper sprocket 22 is mounted on a shaft 24 suitably sup orted while the lower sprocket 21 is secure to a shaft 25 continuously rotated by a belt 26 engaging pulleys 27 on the shafts 12 and 24. It will be obvious that as the balls are deposited in the pit 3 they will be directed to the outlet 17 and roll along the trough 18 where they will be engaged successively by the buckets and conveyed upwardly over shaft 22 and dro ped onto the return 4. The elevating buc ets are moving continuously during the use of the alley.

Formed in the floor of the alley at the points where the usual spots are ordinarily located 'are openin of slightly reater diameter than the pins, said openings being indicated at 28- and being tapered slightly upwardly, as shown in Fig. 6. Below each opening and *leading upwardly thereto is a guide tube 29 havin a lon itudinal guide roove or slot. 30. T ese to es are arranged as are the openin '28 and each of them has a plunger 31 sli ably mounted therein and provided with a tapered end 32. A lug 33 extends from each plunger and is slidably mounted in the groove or slot 30 so as to prevent the plunger from rotating. The tapered ends of the plun ers are adapted to wedge within the tapere openin s 28 with the upper ends of the plungers fius i with the top surface of the alley fioor. Rods 34 ex tend downwardly from the plungers and are connected to a. frame 35. One of the plungers 23 is preferably in the form of a rack, as shown at 36 and is engaged by a. gear 37 on a transverse shaft 38 carrying a sprocket 39. A chain 40 engages the sprocket and is driven by asproc et 41 on the shaft 12. This sprocket 41 is loose on shaft 12 but has a clutch 42 one member of which is adapted to be shifted by a bell crank lever 43.

44 is provided on the chain for engagement with the lever. Shaft 12 is rotating continuously and when it is desired to operate the chain 40 so as to elevate the plungers to their uppermost positions within the openings 28, the lever 43 is shifted by .any suitable means, such as a rod 45, so as to move the clutch 42 and con Ie the shaft 12 to the sprocket 41. Said sproc (et will therefore drive the chain 40 and gear 37, causing the plungers to move upwardly and just as they arrive at their uppermost positions the lug 44 will come in the same relation to each other This lever has one arm ex; tending close to the chain 40 and a small lug vided for raising and lowering the pi at will.

Located back of the tubes 29 is an inclined series of parallel tubes 47, each tube being inclined downwardly and forwardly to one of the tubes 29 and gradually increasing in vertical area as it approaches its tube 29 so that when a in is directed eml first through any one o the tubes 47 it will be free to swing upwardl and assume a vettical position in the tu e 29 and above the plunger in said tube. The upper or rear ends of the tubes 47 are provided with stop lugs or ledges 48 forming means for limiting the tilting movement of setting bum mounted and arranged in a novel nullne'r. Ten of these boxes are provided and are arranged side by side in a transversely i series, as shown at 49, each box being built to accommodate one pin. The box 49 at the highest end of the series is located directly under the slot 16 and above and back of one of the tubes 47. The other boxes are located back of different tubes 47 as shown. A shaft 50 is extended transversely under the boxes and has arms 51 extendin upwardiytherefrom and supporting m spective boxes. A frame 52 is secured hand rotates with the shaft 50 and springs 53 connect the rear portion of this frame to the rear ends of the respective boxes 49 m as to hold said ends normally ressed onto a supporting rail 54. Mounte on the front portion of the frame 52 are solenoids 55,

one under the front end of each box, and the core of each solenoid is ivotalliy connected to the front end of t e box-themabove. Each solenoid is pivotally m and is in circuit with a source of electrical energy. Any suitable: means, not

may be provided whereby any selected mknoid can be energized by pressing a When a solenoid is thus energized the box 49 connected thereto will be tilted so that the pin supported thereon will slide m from and into the tube 47 in the Mill M of, the tilting movement being imitod by the stop lug 48. A pulley 56 is secured to the shaft 50 and is connected by a belt 57 to a pulley 58 on the shaft 12, any suitable clutch mechanism, indicated generally at 59, being provided for coupling the to and uncoupling it from the shaft 12, fills means being under the control of the operator. When the parts are coupled the shaft dump' all of the boxes the contents there of will directed end first into the respec tive tubes 47 and gravitate into the tubes 29 where they will stand on the respective pl rs 31. Said plungers are then eleva to move the pins upwardly and the pins will emerge through the o enings 28 and remain standin the ends 0 the plunfiush wit 7 the floor of the alley. are thrown along the alle thfiy y t 6 he iris f the e rs bei the ba will be directed to and gathered u elevator and returned to the user. can be directed into the pit by means 0 sweep or strip 8 as described.

Should it be desired to set up a certain in or pins, the pins on the alley are swept as; into the pit so as to be distributed in the manner described. Those pins desired are then dischar from their boxes49 by tilting the boxes Independently of the others through the aid of the ts. These ins will avitate to their la 29 and, w en the ungers are elevated, the desiredvpins will e brought to position on the alley.

What is claimed 1s: 1. The combination with an alley having openings in the floor thereof, and tubes below and leadi to the o hingaof means below the pit of e alley Er co lecting and arranging the directed into the pit, mechanism for operating said means to deliver the ins to the eetive tubes, and means wit the respective tubes for elevating the ins through theopenings and supporting t em above the alloy.

2. The combination ith an alley having openings in the floor theregf and tubes below and leading to the, openings, of an 1nclined pin holder below and adapted to receive PIIIS from the pit of the alley, sa1d holder having separate compartments each ada ted to hold a sin 1e pin, means for shi ing the holder to de iver the pins to the respective tubes, and means for elevating the pins within the tubes to positions above the .alley. a

3, The combination with an alley having openings in the floor thereof and tubes below and leading to the openings;of a transversely inclined pin holder having so arate pin receiving compartments side by 'si e and arallel, means or. directing one at a time from the. pit of the alley and onto-the upper side portion of the holder, each compartment being adapted tohold but a single pin and, when filled, constituting means for deflecting'a loose pin laterally to another compartment, means for shifting the in holder to deliver the pins therefrom to e respective tubes, and means for elevating the ins within the tubes to standing positions a ove the alley. W

4. The combination with an alley having openings in'the floor thereof, tubes below and leading to the o nings, and pin elevating means within t e tubes, of a be er constitutingthe bottom of the pit o the alley and having an outlet slot, an inclined pin holder having separate compartments each ada to hold ut a single pin and, when fi ed, to deflect laterally loose pins deposited thereon, the upper compartment of the holder being ,disposed below the slot in thehopphr, an means for shiftin the v holder to direct the pins therefrom an into the res ctive tubes.

5. T e combination with an alley, se arate pin elevating means therebelow, an a hop r for receiving pins from the alley, sai hopper having a pin outlet, of means between the said hopper and the elevating means for arrangin .the pins and delivering them to the sai elevating means, said ,arrangin means including a transversely inclined older having separate com artments side by side and each adapted to old but a single pin, the uppermost compartment being located below the pin outlet of the hopper and eachcom artment, when filled, constituting means or deflecting to another compartment loose pins de oslted thereon, and means for shifting said olderto deliver. the arranged pins to, the elevat ing means.

6. In apparatus 'of the character described the combination with elevating means and a hopper ha a pin outlet, of a pin holder inclined latera y and having separate compartments side by side each adapte to hold at a single pm and to be filled the eb the upper compartment being arranged ow and adapted to receive a' pin fromthe outlet, means for tiltinigl the holder to simul- "taneously deliver-to e elevating means e contents of all of the compartments, an lectlvemeans for tilting one of-the compartments to deliver'its contents independently of the other compartments.

7 In apparatus of the character described the combination with pin elevating mechamsm including separate tubes, and a hopper for receiving pinsfsaid hopper having an outlet, of tubes inclined downwardl to the respective tubes of the elevating moo anism, an inclined pin holder having separate pin receiving compartments each adapted to be filled by a single pin, the uppermost compartment being below-the hopper outlet, and

means for deliveri pins from the compartments to the respective inclined tubes.

8. The combination with an alley having holes in the floor thereof and guide members leading to the respective openings from below the alley, of pm elevating means within the respective members, means for collecting pins from thealley and delivering them therefrom, a transversely inclined pin holder havin separate compartments for receiving pins rom the collecting means, the uppermost compartment being located below the outlet of the collecting means, each compartment being adapted to be filled by a single pin, and means for delivering pins from the compartments to the respective elevating means.

9. The combination with an alley and means for elevating pins through the floor of the alley, of a pit at the back end of the alley having a hopper like floor provided with a pin outlet, endless belts parallel with the sides of the alley, a cross strip carried by said belts, means for actuating the members to move the strip rearwardly along the alley to sweep pins and the like into the pit, and thence upwardly from the alley, and means interposed between the outlet of the hopper and the elevating means for arranging the pins and delivering them to the elevatin means. o

10. he combination with an alley having a ball return and an elevator for delivering balls onto the return, of a hop er constituting the bottom of the pit of t e alley, said hopper having a ball outlet and a pin outlet, a chute leading from the ball outlet to the elevator, means for elevating pins through the floor of the alle and means between the pin outlet and t e pin elevating means for arranging pins and delivering them to the respective elevating means.

In testimon that I claim t e foregoing as my own, I ave hereto aflixed my slgnature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILBERT F. BARRETT.

Witnesses:

Honrm'r C. Tnomrsom, RICHARD E. Pn'mmrs. 

